Review: Deeper shades of a finely sifted pedigree. Irish label Appian Sounds, helmed up by Al Blayney, champion only winnowed techno sounds, not threshed. A welcome international team huddle in, with these six artists from locales as far-flung as Amsterdam and Valencia contributing the likes of 'Tsuneo' and 'Persist'. The tunes verge melodic as they move through and beyond jankiness, distending die-cut acids and subtly synthetic humanisations, especially in the percussion department. 'Fuego' is the zen roshi's choice, its gaffered, glass-smithed pads topping off a naturalistic percussive surging forward, one best experienced with your eyes closed.
Review: Having previously tried their hand at podcasting, the Paris and Lille-based La Boomerie crew has decided to launch a label. To kick things off, they've delivered a multi-artist extravaganza featuring four decidedly different takes on the house and techno templates. Bitterjazz kicks things off with a chunky slab of spacey, organ-rich retro-futurism (the rock solid and ear-catching 'Run 'N' Hide', before Aymeric peppers a squelchy synth bassline and crunchy machine drums with spacey pads, wriggling synths and tight acid lines. Over on the reverse, Jos opts for heavy bass and star fall synthesizer melodies on the driving 'Black Sun', before Vivies captures the spirit of early UK bleep & bass on the deep, starry and far-sighted 'Seek and Find'.
Review: This Biscuit release is a fierce four-track punch built dancefloor disruptors. Opening the A-side, France's BOOH (aka BOOOoo! Records co-founder) delivers 'Hidden Between Two Ferns,' a punishing blend of EBM and electro that morphs with dark energy. A2 sees Argentina's Micro.Tron bring pure electro muscle with 'Microclima Robot,' a rhythm-heavy cut that hits with precision. On the flip, JJ Fortune drops the epic and destructive 'Then I Dropped It' while Vloon closes with a snarling, high-voltage electro weapon. Raw, trippy and relentless, this one's built to shake basements and bend minds.
Review: Adam Collins has proven his mettle with his work for Omni A.M. and Euphoria Records but now he branches out once more with the new label Aquarius Rising. It kicks off with a four-track various artists EP of next-gen talents Cromie, Dylan Payne, Sasha Zlykh, and Collins himself. 'The Knuckle' opens up with a bouncy and dense house sound that's got a sweet garage shuffle to it. Volume Channel's 'Tony Jacal' is a stripped-back and minimal sound with dubby drums, Sasha Zlykh's contribution gets more raw and abstract with whirring machine sounds and Collins shuts down with 'Andrea 3' complete with warped vocal stabs and high-speed drum funk.
Review: We're fully signed up fans of the work that Hedzup has been doing. It's a house label that works at the electronic end of the spectrum and likes to bring in weird and wonderful sound deigns next to their high speed beats. This new VA is a great window into their world for first timers, or another essential 12" for those already in the know. JNJS's 'Two Girls' is perfectly colourful and vibrant stuff with retro touches and future feels, Vern's 'Sunlake' is a nice cosmic cruise and Enzo Leep and Matpri on the flip both keep the silky and seductive sounds coming thick and fast.
Review: For a couple of years a decade or so ago Visionquest was a DJ collective and label that ruled the world. In the time since it has sunk back to the shadows, regrouped and come back as another vital force in the underground. This EP brings together a wealth of real talents not least the one and only synth wizard Mathew Jonson who opens up with the artful sounds of 'These Tears.' Cesar Merveille's 'Decennium' then gets wonky with tightly coiled minimal drums overlaid with pensive chords. On the flipside 'Wonder Wheel' gets a little more eerie and trippy with hunting keys leading you down a late-night maze and 'Dirty Pathways' from Vinyl Speed Adjust layering up the deft synths and airy rhythms.
Elaine Mai, MuRli Vs Dave Spoon & Nick Reach Up - "Ready" (Mark Knight remix) (6:54)
CASSIMM - "Wanna Feel Something" (5:27)
Superchumbo & Victoria Wilson James - "Revolution" (Crusy remix) (6:07)
Arthur Baker & James Hurr - "Powder In The Nose" (5:12)
Review: Here's a heavyweight suite of club cuts from the Toolroom Trax stable, featuring a whole squad of names linking up for some big room belters that should go down very nicely indeed with any medium-to-megasized party experience. Mark Knight's extended mix of 'Ready' is a proper epic, not least when the 'Insomnia'-esque stabs kick in. CASSIMM's 'Wanna Feel Something' is a heads-down sexy workout, while Superchumbo and Victoria Wilson James get remixed by Crusy for an equally brooding, high-end production. James Hurr and Arthur Baker round things off with chunky monkey 'Powder In The Nose', which teases a whole lot and then delivers even more on the drop.
Review: Your latest acid extraterrestrial jive comes in the form of this four-track EP V/A from Planet Orange. With tracks by Velvet Velour, Mitch Wellings, Tom Frankel, and Planet Orange boss Pete Melba, this second release retains all major aspects of the label's signature sound. Bursts of alien percussion pepper luminous beats, textured by light and shade as fleeting melodies wax and wane.
Review: Following close behind Macarie's Out Of Streets EP, Verum returns with a further expansion of its sound as a new label in the minimal tech house scene. Olivian Nour sets the mood in compelling style with the subtle jazz guitar licks hovering over brooding twilight cut 'Collateral Damage', while Dorothy's Dream explores skittering, modulated forms on psychedelic workout 'Ten Colours'. Swoy leads on the B-side with the snaking, subliminal mastery of 'Tosmur' and Vern completes the picture with the slinky groove of 'Breath', making this another classy turn for Verum and the assembled artists alike.
Review: It has been a rather remarkable three years since Yuko dropped its first release, but finally, they are back with more. It is co-founder Emo Omar who features both solo and in collaboration with Luje from Club Pizza while two exciting new French talents Chud and Vivant also make their mark. 'Pollen' is a bright and hooky melodic electro sound then 'You & Me' gets more percussive, with old school cow bells staying busy next to all sorts of wonky synth work. 'Tomorrow's Made Of Breaks' is built on rigid funk and trippy synth bleeps and 'Zeus' shuts down with some retro-future vocoder vocals. This is a great return from a label we hope now pushes on.
Review: If you're thirsting for more of that horror soundtrack house then you're not going to want to miss out on this one. BOOOoo! is a new French label debuting with four protagonists in this buoyant sound, leading in with PO tapping into some serious scientologist vibes on 'Self Deception' before Venetia demonstrates the theory that the longer the note, the more the dread on delightfully creepy workout 'Fat Man'. Eliaz tips a bucketload of acid into the mix on 'Weuweueoou' and BOOH completes the picture with the throbbing jack track 'EVIL'.
Review: Two And Half Records make the decision here to try and rid the A and B-side distinction on records that we are all very familiar with and instead they refer to each face of their latest 12" as 'dance' and 'listen.'' It makes sense frankly and is often how things go anyway. Swiss duo Quismi kick off this one with twitchy and narcotic tech house with an old school bent. French artist Groenogen then gets wild with bright melodies and grinding synths, r&b vocals and high speed tech funk on 'Twinkle Dance' while ILyes offers the tech silkiness of 'Starting Now.' On the flip is a trio of less direct, more experimental sounds that sure do offer plenty to get lost in on headphones.
Review: Deep Sleep Robot awakens once more for another offering of slick and seductive late night house and tech fusions. It was Len Lewis who got this label underway and set out its mission to release music that first dropped between 1994 and 2004, but here were get four artists in fine form. Ronin keeps it simple but effective on the silky electronic house depths of 'Mysterious City' while 'Takemountain' gets more muscular and 'Adjust' gets cosmic. Dav closes down with the tightly coiled and kinetic kicks of 'Flight.'
Review: Yecad Music launch their mission into the minimal world with a strong first showing from a varied cast of operators that mark this label out as one to watch. Sepp leads the way with the jazz-inflected, intricate patterns of 'Cabot Cave', while Vlad Arapaho has a knottier, techy offering by way of 'Compostella'. Swoy has a more melodic, organic-sounding approach on 'After' and Ted Amber taps into that hypnotic Arpiar style for the deep-diving 'Erutun', rounding off a sophisticated EP for those who like their grooves stripped back and undulating.
Review: Six dance tracks skillfully blending old-school vibes with contemporary sounds, spanning acid, breakbeat, electro and house, inviting listeners to dream of underground raves and enigmatic gatherings where ethereal battles against soulless algorithms unfold amid nocturnal dance. Highlights include Trabuco's 'Happy Spliff, a vibrant mix of New York house and early 90s-inspired techno, setting a nostalgic yet fresh tone. Trabuco's 'Signals' follows, delivering a spacey techno experience that feels both futuristic and retro. Yepecc's 'UFO Camp' seamlessly combines electro and acid for a sci-fi romp that transports listeners to otherworldly dimensions. Kevin Kendall's 'Volca Three' stands out with its rich analogue bass, adding depth and warmth to the compilation. The album closes with Victor Reyes' 'Inspired By Nature,' which offers a cool, bouncy finale that leaves a lasting impression. Overall, The Sciences of the Artificial is a refreshing take on retro styled techno and it is perfect for those seeking a blend of nostalgic and fun.
Review: Parisian producer Nemo Vachez has been on the rise in the past couple of years, delivering sleek tech house delights to labels like Forest ill, Rakya and Unknown To The Unknown. Now they've been picked up by the always on-point Low Money Music Love label, who know a crisp slice of modern dancefloor gold when they hear it. The vibe on 'Underwater Energy' nods to the new wave of trancey house gear with its shimmering pads and deep garage organ basslines, but 'Slomo4' offers up a different kind of pressure which nods to Chicago as much as New Jersey. 'Take Ur Time' is the trippiest offering on the record, using delicate chimes and pings to give off a mystical energy before 'ABC Simulator' plays around with ravey tropes and gives them a twist for a seriously fun B2 joint.
Review: Hidde Van Wee hails from the Netherlands but clearly has a respect for electronic styles from these shores, not least classic UKG and tech house. They are both to be heard in these cuts on HOMEGROWN Records, starting with 'Channel 4' which is a big energy beat with wiggling bass. The space-tech sound '5th Avenue' has already had big club plays from the likes of ROSSI. and Chris Stussy and 'Early Riser' then hooks you in with psychedelic colours and trippy motifs over new school tech drums. 'Far Out' shuts down with gritty, stripped back drums, a turbocharged bassline and celestial melodic outlook. Lovely stuff.
Review: Daniela La Luz is no stranger to Rawax's stable of labels - she's previously released on most of them at different points over the last decade- though Global Transformation marks the first time she's appeared on any of them as Vanilla. The Berlin-based artist sets her stall out with the raw, punchy and occasionally sparkling title track - all woozy keyboard riffs, weighty electro-meets-house beats, tipsy chords and heavy bass - before opting for a deep, druggy, acid-fired and percussively propulsive vibe on 'The Last Window of Time'. Elsewhere, 'Animal Queendom' sees her wrap echoing, dubbed-out and reverb-laden synth riffs around a tough and locked-in beat, while 'All Together' is built around the twin attractions of sturdy, slightly off-kilter machine drums and jazzy electric piano motifs.
Review: Chris Stussy is very much one of the contemporary scene's most prominent producers. He has emerged from the Dutch underground to take the global circuit by storm as a DJ but also a studio slickster who fuses tech, minimal, house and breaks. His own label deals in just that and here it offers up a trio of trippy and future facing dance floor delights from Varhat. 'Nobody' is a turbocharged tech cut with freewheeling cosmic melodies and 'Mopho' takes a more deep and breezy approach while 'Breaking Out' (Paolo Rocco remix) is balmy and deft minimal lushness.
Review: Greek producer Stelios Vassiloudid has been making techno moves since the turn of the millennium under a range of different aliases. Here he appears as himself with four supercharged dub techno cuts for Dubwax. 'Lie In Wait' is a really tight, taught affair with pinging kicks and icy hi-hat ringlets. 'MIA' is more warm and vibes with a soulful core and underlapping bass waves. There is a more minimal and abstract sound to the curious dub bumps of 'Reverse Engineer' that encourage you to be at your most fluid. 'Grains' shuts down with grainy lo-fi pads, vinyl crackle and sparse kick that soundtrack an underwater jaunt. There is plenty of subtle variation to these rhythms which makes it a dead handy dub EP.
Metal Master - "Spectrum" (Bart Skills & Weska Reinterpretation)
The Beauty And The Beast (Eric Prydz re-edit)
OFF - "Electrica Salsa" (feat Sven Vath - Roman Flugel remix)
Cala Llonga
Sounds Control Your Mind
Dein Schweiss
Robot (Kolsch remix)
L'Esperanza (Hardspace mix)
Privado
Mind Games (Roman Flugel remix)
Face It
Astral Pilot - "The Day After"
Review: Given that he's been active as a producer since the dawn of the 90s, it would be fair to say that Sven Vath is well worthy of an authoritative, expansive retrospective. That's certainly what we get here on this quadruple-vinyl mix of classic productions and fresh, eye-catching remixes. It's the latter that dominate the early stages of the collection - see Adam Port's hypnotic, didgeridoo-sporting revision of 'Ritual of Life', Speedy J's acid-fired stomp through 'Ballet-Fusion' - before Vath showcases some of his choice cuts. There's naturally to set the pulse racing, from the twisted, sub-heavy thump of 'Cala Llonga' and the tactile hypnotism of 'Sounds That Control Your Life', to the electroclash-meets-Kraftwerk flex of 'Dein Schweiss' and the ambient techno excellence of 'The Day After', a 21- minute epic from 1995 produced alongside Steffen Britzke as Astral Pilot.
Review: The staff at Paris record shop Yoyaku have scored something of a coup for their curated YYK No Label imprint, snaffling a collaborative cut from French house stalwart Ben Vedren and legendary Chicago producer Chez Damier. In its original A-side form, 'Majestic' is bold and beautiful, with heady synth stabs, melodic motifs and electronic flourishes riding a driving deep house groove and Ron Trent style Latin percussion. Over on the flip, they opt for a darker and more marauding, tech-tinged vibe on the similarly outstanding 'Club Mix', before rounding things off with the colourful, immersive and more light touch 'Dub Feel Mix'.
Review: The label at the helm of the Minimal ship, Mindhelmet, is back with another dazzling release. Never has an artist's name so well reflected their sound - Velvet Velour's production is exactly as you might expect: smooth, effortless, yet party ready. The first track, 'The Waltzer' has an undeniable zero-gravity quality, zooming through the cosmos, encountering meteoric fields and spacious, star-studded vistas. 'Khaosan Rodeo' rushes through aqueous landscapes, embellished with water-muffled vocals, and oxygenated bubbles, this is a buoyant track for flowy, dancefloor moments. 'Wave Wizard' offers a broken, breaksy view into the Velvet Velour sound world. An excellent example of restraint from the producer - this track holds the perfect balance between substantial percussion and airy atmospheres. A mind-melting release from a standout label in the minimal scene.
Review: Step aboard Venetia's spaceship and embark on a journey that is well with it across his fine debut EP. The ride kicks off with 'Camel' which is driven by a purring bassline that might evoke a familiar nostalgia. 'Jet' follows by weaving a hypnotic melody with sweet acid flourishes. 'The Mind' then delivers a powerful stew of vocoder-laced vocals and commanding bass and finally, 'Shangri-La Disco' closes the voyage with its striking, disorienting energy and unifying dance floor vibes. Venetia's ability to craft rich soundtracks is evident here and we're already looking forward to hearing what he has to say next.
Review: The first ever vinyl record to the name of Italian prodcuer Verniss (aka. VerniB) hears the artist expedite three floor-fillers for the Seekers sublabel Twig. Efficiency is the key word here; each track emphasises less productive floweriness and more floor-readiness, though that isn't to say the record lacks subtle embellishment: 'FS Polymonkey' is especially jamboree-ish, its organic, tuned percussions merging, grading with those which are synthetic. The mood of a metallic biotic rave continues well onto the itinerant B-sider 'Travel Smp'.
Review: There's long been debate about the definition of "deep house", with different DJs, producers and labels offering their own interpretations of what "deep" means musically. In our opinion, you'll struggle to find better examples of pure, properly deep electronic music than the tracks released by Bristol's We're Going Deep label. Here's Exhibit A, the Facebook group-turned-label's sixth multi-artist EP. It begins with a wonderfully spacey, sci-fi-fuelled chunk of intergalactic deep house/deep electro fusion from Versalife and ends with the Larry Heard style stargazing of Morthen Kiang's 'Enter The Dream'. In between, you'll find the softly shuffling, deliciously dreamy deep electro of Mariska Neerman's 'Twin' and the deep, acid-flecked house hypnotism of 'Counterpoint' by Analog1.
Review: Vicari brings some superb machine funk to this new EP on OGE. 'Angela' opens up with wobbly low ends that, to our ears, pay little tribute to a classic Mylo vs Miami Sound Machine riff, that are offset by snappy drums and some lush swirling melodies. After the fleshy and deeper dub comes 'My Spell' which is more bubbly, trippy and loose with its glistening sci-fi- pads and squelchy bass. The third and final original is a third different sound - 'Isolated From My Self'. This one is a jumbled of off-grid hits and detuned keys that brings great unbalance to the dance floor.
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